Tintin's Kiwi fans face two month wait

Peter Jackson's new Tintin film won't hit New Zealand theatres until December 26. Photo / Supplied

Tintin's hyped big screen debut is getting rave reviews overseas - but New Zealand fans face waiting more than two months to see it on the big screen.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is the first of three adaptations planned in a collaboration project between Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg of Herge's iconic comic book series.

The movie begins screening in Belgium - Herge's hometown - today, and throughout Europe over the rest of the week. It hits Middle East cinemas in early November, and American and Canadian theatres on December 21.

But, despite the fact that much of the movie was made in Wellington by Weta Workshop, and Jackson's name features as co-producer, Kiwi fans will be among the last in the world to see it on the big screen.

The film has a December 26 release date here, with only several South American countries facing a longer wait to see it.

A spokesman for Paramount Pictures said Christmas release dates were in line with previous Jackson films like The Lovely Bones, which was released on Boxing Day in 2009.

The spokesman said Tintin's local release was timed to coincide with the holiday season, and illegal downloading wasn't a concern as it was a film that needed to be seen on the big screen - especially in 3D.

Tintin has had promising early reviews since premiering in Belgium - Herge's home - and has a 90 per cent approval rating on review aggregate site rottentomatoes.com.

"Bull's eye," headlined the Dutch-speaking De Standaard newspaper. "A pure jewel" the Francophone Le Soir had on its front page, saying: "(Spielberg) has fully grasped the Herge grammar."

Jackson is set to direct the second Tintin film of a planned trilogy.

Check out the full-length trailer for The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn:

- Herald online with AP